1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-volatile memory device and a method of operating the non-volatile memory device, and more particularly, to a non-volatile memory device using a change in resistance in a junction portion between a metal electrode and a chalcogenide material layer, and a method of operating the non-volatile memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of non-volatile memory devices using a change in resistance in a junction portion between a metal electrode and a chalcogenide material layer are a phase change random access memory (PRAM) and a conducting bridge memory (CBRAM).
A CBRAM stores information by repeatedly forming and removing a conductive path in the chalcogenide material. The conductive path is formed by diffusing a metal electrode material diffused into a chalcogenide material.
In the PRAM, a chalcogenide material contacting a conductive electrode creates phase changes between crystalline and amorphous phases.
However, the problem of the PRAM is that the amorphous phase storing information is crystallized at a high temperature, and the problem of the CBRAM is that a conductive bridge is destroyed at a high temperature due to activated movement of atoms. Thus the PRAM and CBRAM have low reliability at high temperatures.